Apple as a Proper noun [Name] is copyrighted.
You can still call the fruit an 'apple' though, just not anything that begs association with the Apple trade name...and computer program skins called 'apple' have exactly nothing to do with a fruit but everything to do with a copyrighted Name.

No-one will believe you with an argument that you love the fruit, therefore you named a skin such.

Likewise with 'Aqua', as against 'aquamarine'.
One is OK, the other is not.

Call your skins 'That other OS/computer company' instead of 'Apple' and you should be fine , as you can argue you were referring to Amiga or something...

there's an Idea

should work too! and tweak their collective noses too!

Yeah, someone should do an Olive OS skin. Green cocktail olive stuffed with pimento for the logo instead of the friggin apple with a bite out of it. Or a martini glass with a green olive on a toothpick. And for the busy cursor, perhaps a cocktail shaker in action.

OK, it's a Friday at the end of a looong week. Though, if I could create skins, I'd probably do something like that just for the heck of it.

Then I could move up to the Pizza OS... with visions of pepperoni's dancing in my head.

OK, got to go home and get some dinner.

sig

hmm IIRC 3 luna skins have been ported to Apple GUI

as Jafo said "I bet even Bill himself gets a chuckle seeing Apple graphics ported to his Windows OS."

Now vice versa, looks awfull mind you but Apple GUI's are nice, as thats probably big attraction, even being used on Windows is still rather nice.

they can't copyright the word apple... microsoft lost a lawsuit to Lindows for the use of the word Windows... the courts said that windows was a common word... and microsoft couldn't copyright it... sadly enough.. i am on microsoft's side on this one.. they should have won that case... if I called my OS Jac OS X, Apple would win... hmmm...

"Green cocktail olive stuffed with pimento "

Scary thing is, sig101 - I like that idea...

put a toothpick through it.

Heres a name for a Skin Suite

Steve:j:OBS -.0001

CRAPPLE

ok, enough, before I get out there even further than I am normally

Adam...'aqua' in a skin name, with graphics 'similar' to a Mac is a clear association with 'Aqua' relating to Apple.
A shop called 'aqua' would be fine, provided that shop wasn't selling OS-skins/themes for PC's....then it's all about 'association'.....the clear inference is 'aqua' relates to computers relates to Apple...

Trademark Law

Executive Summary: Trademark law governs the use of a device (including a word, phrase, symbol, product shape, or logo) by a manufacturer or merchant to identify its goods and to distinguish those goods from those made or sold by another. Service marks, which are used on services rather than goods, are also governed by 'Trademark law.' In the United States, certain common law trademark rights stem merely from the use of a mark. However, to obtain the greatest protection for a mark, it is almost always advisable to register the mark, either with the federal government, if possible, or with a state government. A mark which is registered with federal government should be marked with the ® symbol. Unregistered trademarks should be marked with a "tm", while unregistered service marks should be marked with a "sm".


might be something for everyone to consider, the (tm) and or (sm) where it might apply... though you would have to do a search to make sure they were in fact unregistered....

On the topic of owning a word :
http://www.bitlaw.com/trademark/devices.html

weird, but Apple is one of the first examples....

Good link, lPlural.

All those obsessed with Apple-styled works SHOULD take a look at that.
Call it 'required reading'...